BBC2's The Turkish Detective is a universally intriguing crime thriller

It certainly appears so, and yet that’s not the normal place for such a thing – we’re more accustomed to these programmes popping up on Saturday evenings on BBC Four. That slot is, however, already filled with another new thrilling drama, the Swedish mystery End of Summer, so The Turkish Detective has had to find a different berth.

The programme is based on a series of novels by London-born author Barbara Nadel, who was inspired by write them by her many trips to Turkey over the course of 25 years. Originally an actress before working in public relations and as a mental health advocate, she now writes full-time; her other series of books focus on an undertaker in the East End during the Blitz and a modern-day private eye.

However, Nadel’s best-loved creation is Cetin Ikmen, a chain-smoking, hard-drinking detective employed by the Istanbul police force. So far he’s appeared in 25 books, the most recent being Double Illusion, which was published last year.

“From the moment I opened Barbara Nadel’s novel, I fell in love with the unique, iconic character of Inspector Ikmen,” says Ben Schiffer, who has written the adaptation and whose CV also includes Skins, Young Wallander and Spooks: Code 9. “A beacon of hope and humour in a dark, difficult world, I’m so delighted that he and our show, a blend of emotionally-charged mystery and family drama, has found a home at the BBC.”

Veteran Turkish actor Haluk Bilinger plays Ikmen, who works on cases with his sidekicks, Mehmet Süleyman (Ethan Kai, who you may recognise from Killing Eve) and Ayşe Farsakoğlu (Yasemin Kay Allen). Together they tackle a variety of weird and intriguing crimes, each of them rooted in Istanbul’s rich history and culture, but set against the hectic backdrop of modern-day Turkey.

The opening episode focuses on Süleyman’s arrival in Istanbul as he joins Ikmen’s team – and he’s soon thrown in at the deep end when a murder case falls into their lap. It involves the death of a woman whose secret boyfriend quickly becomes the prime suspect – but not everything is as it seems.

“The Turkish Detective is a universally intriguing crime thriller set against the landscape of one of the most stunning, culturally rich cities in the world,” says Nicole Clemens, who is among the head honchos at one of the show’s production partners, Paramount+. “We look forward to seeing Barbara Nadel’s incredible novels come to life in this series.”

Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, adds: “Not only does The Turkish Detective provide a compelling, multi-layered crime thriller, but is set in stunning Istanbul, a vibrant contemporary city that also reflects the cultural influences of a rich and varied historical past – it’s a truly fascinating combination.”

Sunday nights (and Mondays – the second episode airs tomorrow) on BBC Two may never be the same again…